Life of a Cornish speaking journalist

This is a description of the day to day mundane life of a Cornish speaking journalist working in Kernow.

Sunday, January 02, 2005

Blydhen nowydh / new year

How can we call this a happy new year considering the tsunami? Reading the news over the past few days has been really tough as callers phone in in tears after hearing about their own family and friends who have died in the Asian disaster. I have written a poem in Cornish for everyone struggling with coming to terms with this awful event:

Because of the nasty weather
We want to escape far away
To a land with golden beaches
And secret villages
To a place with sun and warmth
To a place a long way away
But the holiday is now death
Because of a tsunami and an earthquake.

Where there was sand
Holidaymakers all along it
Where there was a hotel
With wine in crystal vessels
Now there is not anything
Apart from bodies in a destroyed town
There is death everywhere
Because of a tsunami and an earthquake.

Saturday, December 11, 2004

Saturday alone in the newsroom

Isn't it great being a journalist in the middle of a happening world!?! Here I am reporting on the twists and turns of life in Devon and Cornwall. However, the police press service is dull, nothing happening at sea, and just me, the on-air presenter, and the chief exec in the station. I suppose that is what you get for having another big national story on your patch earlier in the week (when I was off). You know... the Lynx helicopter which crashed in the sea off the Lizard killing 4 aircrew.

Thursday was good for me though. I was on Cornwall's selection panel for the Celtic Film and Television Festival. We had a shortlist of a few good films, several that had high hopes... but failed. Also, there were several diabolical ones. Anyway, it meant good pay on what was essentially my day off.

Thursday, December 02, 2004

Hey Archbish!

Sunday 28th November 2004 was a long day. First of all, I was reading bulletins from 7am until 1pm, then I darted home for a quick bite of lunch, and then straight into Truro. The reason was a service at Truro Cathedral. The Archbishop of Canterbury was visiting Cornwall to be given a copy of "An Testament Nowydh". This is the New Testament translated from the Greek into Cornish. Dr Rowan Williams preached about how important our Celtic culture is. Obviously he has an interest himself being a Welsh speaker.

After the service I was attemting to corner him in order to do an interview for the radio. PR guys aside (in cassocks) I managed to ask him about the Bible in Cornish, and its importance. However, the PR holies told me I could not ask any political questions. This was probably because the C-of-E 'gag' row had blown-up again in the Sunday Times earlier that day.

Thursday, November 18, 2004

Day of politicians

What a Westminster whirlwind it has been in the newsroom today with Tory leader Michael Howard visiting Falmouth, and Schools Minister David Milliband in Camborne. My boss (news editor) went off to see Mikey Howard in his bid to boost the Conservatives a little. However, Howie baby has gone to a constituency where they have had very poor press of late. This is mainly down to the party trying to deselect their PPC because he is gay. Apparently Jeremy Paxman was down at Falmouth too, asking why everyone hates the Tories so much.

I went to Camborne School to meet David Milliband. He was a boring git to interview, although I did get some comments out of him on teaching Cornish heritage in schools. I can use those soon.

Just had a call from a BBC Radio 4 reporter who is doing a story on the Cornish language. She didn't want to speak to me (that's new) but wanted a contact from me.

Tonight I'm hoping to go off to the pub with a cute guy who lives up the road. Tell you more on this soon ;-)

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Here I am at the start...

How do you start a weblog that may prove a hit on the internet, or you might decide on finishing after just a few days? How can I start off giving you a hint of who I am and where I am at with so much blank space?

Firstly, I am a journalist who lives in Cornwall and speaks the ancient Cornish tongue. Secondly, I am gay, single, and happy with who I am. Thirdly, I believe I have so much more to learn about me, and now that I am filling in this weblog, you might be able to discover who I am at the same time.

I have just had an incredible Autumn (Fall to you people in the US). In July I helped the executive producer of the Simpsons come up with a phrase in Cornish for a special for UK television. I then put out a press release, and then followed incredible media attention globally. You only have to put 'Cornish' and 'Simpsons' into Google and you will see the coverage. This was all capped by my appearance on the Richard and Judy Show on Channel 4 on 5th November.

Today, and for most of the past week or so, it has been back to normal working life. Here I am at the end of a dull news day in Cornwall, sat in the newsroom. Last night I had my hair highlighted by friends around the corner. Only one person has remarked or even made a hint they have noticed. It is either because it is so subtle, or because it is so sad they would be too embarrassed to say. Anyway, I like it.

That wasn't too tough writing that, was it now?

Just to end off... here's a phrase in Cornish:

Kawgh an managh (PRONOUNCED: Cakka-manna) = Monk shit.
Say that when you next break a plate!